Cam Green return to Test cricket short-lived as Australia lose early wickets in World Test Championship final

Cam Green’s return Test innings has lasted just three balls.

The West Australian all-rounder made four in a blink-and-you-miss-it stand in the early stages of the World Test Championship final on Wednesday night.

His only runs came off the back of his back when he flicked a Kagiso Rabada ball that was careering down the leg-side to the boundary.

But he was then dismissed by the Proteas spearhead when he edged to Aiden Markram at second slip just moments later.

Green returned to Australia’s team in a reshuffle that sent Marnus Labuschagne up to the top of the order for the first time ever.

The 26-year-old had not played a Test for 16 months after undergoing radical surgery to fix a back issue. He will not bowl in this match, but has rolled the arm over in recent days.

Labuschagne survived an early examination of his credentials as an opener under grey London skies.

But his partner, Usman Khawaja fell for a gory 20-ball duck with a trademark and ugly edge to first-slipper David Beddingham.

Rabada’s over of carnage left Australia 2-16 just over half an hour into the showpiece final, which they chose to bowl in after captain Temba Bavuma won the toss.

Labuschagne was prodded and probed by Rabada and opening partner Marco Jansen in the early overs but reached 17 off 41 balls after an hour, while Smith was on five.

He survived a close call on 10 when he turned a ball that landed just short of the fielder at short-leg, but later found the faith to come forward.

After an hour of play, Labsuchagne was on 17 (41) and Steve Smith was on 5 (16).

While overhead conditions are cloudy in London Australian captain Pat Cummins says he was happy to bat and predicted a dry wicket could bring spinner Nathan Lyon into play late in the match.

Wickets in the United Kingdom have been dry early this season, but tenants Middlesex have put up big scores at Lord’s in recent weeks.

“We’re happy to bat first. It looks like a pretty good wicket, few clouds but it’s pretty normal for England and it looks pretty dry, it might turn later in the match,” Cummins said.

He also dismissed concerns over their build-up to the match, which has seen players fly in from across the world.

“It’s been great, I think it’s just something you get used to, the more you play. There are some people from India, from Australia, (some have been) over here, Smithy (Steve Smith) from New York,” Cummins said.

“We have had about a 10-day preparation and we are ready to go.”

England champion Stuart Broad — who dominated at Lord’s and has spent the week as a bowling consultant with South Africa — said the overhead conditions are crucial at the famous ground.

“The famous saying here is you look up, not down. It is a reasonable surface, but the reason South Africa won the toss and bowled is because of the clouds,” he said.

“When you bowl, you are hoping it doesn’t get to day five, you are trying to get seven, eight wickets a day and make the breakthroughs.”

As confirmed by Cummins on Wednesday, Josh Hazlewood has been favoured to Scott Boland and Sam Konstas misses out to make way for Labuschagne at the top of the order.